Page 96 of Last Christmas (Private 0.60)
STALKER
***The sun was beginning to rise over the east edge of campus as Ariana crept toward Drake. She hadn't
slept all night. Had simply stared into the darkness, her hand on Thomas's chest to monitor his breathing. In
the early predawn hours, she'd slipped through one of the basement windows and sneaked back to Billings to
get food. Now, she cradled in her arms the only things she'd been able to find in Noelle's closet: a bottle of
SmartWater, a couple of Zone bars, and a white chocolate reindeer Dash had left on her pillow before break.
Ariana shuddered in the cold, her body feeling weak and drained. She hadn't been able to bring herself to
wear the bloodstained coat she'd stashed under the basement stairwell the night before, so while she was at
Billings she had grabbed her camel-colored fall jacket. It was warm, but not nearly warm enough to combat
the early morning chill, its icy fingers pressing against the back of her neck and sending continuous shivers
down her spine.
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The sound of her boots crunching over the hardened snow cut through the crisp air. As she hurried around
Drake to get to the basement, she thought she heard another sound. Footsteps moving through the snow in
tandem with hers. She froze, pressing her body against the side of the building. Holding her breath, trying to
quiet the sound of her throbbing heart.
Nothing but deafening silence.
Don't be stupid, Ariana. No one else is up at 5 a.m. on break. You're alone. It's all in your head.Still, she
picked up speed as she rounded the building, keeping her eyes on the ground in front of her. She couldn't
bring herself to look at Ketlar. Just thinking about the deserted dorm chilled her more than the winter air.
Made her feel like she was back in Thomas's room, petrified and alone. Staring at that awful photograph as a
hot breath slid down her neck. Her stomach surged again at the memory. Whoever had been in there had
wanted to hurt her. And had the means to do it. Worse than the idea that someone was trying to sabotage them
was the suspicion that Daniel was the intruder.
Mr. Holmes's cell phone hung like a heavy weight in Ariana's pocket. She had thought about calling the
resort from her room at Billings but had wanted to get back before Thomas woke up. Thinking about making
the call sent her pulse into overdrive, but she had to do it. Whether he was there or-God forbid-here, she
had to know. She vowed to call the moment she was safely back at Drake.
As the sun rose higher in the sky, threads of pink light played over campus, casting colorful shadows over the
white snow. The beautiful
